At its Thursday, Jan. 22 meeting, the California Transportation Commission unanimously approved the appointments of Lucy Dunn as the Chair and Robert Alvarado as the Vice Chair, effective March 1, 2015. Ms. Dunn and Mr. Alvarado will serve in their respective positions for one year.

Entries are now being accepted for the second annual Central California Arts Showcase exhibition taking place this spring at the Carnegie Arts Center in Turlock and the Mistlin Gallery in Modesto. The juried exhibition is a unique collaboration between the region's two premier visual arts galleries celebrating regional artistic excellence. For this show both galleries will be exhibiting works selected by a single panel of judges. Entries of works in all media are being accepted now through February 27, 2015, and the show will be on display at both galleries from April 1 through May 8, 2015.

U.S. Representative Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) introduced a bill on Wednesday, Jan. 14 to lessen the burden on disabled veterans by extending military commissary and exchange store privileges to former service members and their families.

The Bacigalupi family is well known throughout the Oakdale area. Not only for the infamous H-B Saloon on F Street, but also for their philanthropy including sponsoring the Cowboy Golf Tournament, the annual AFC-NFC Championship Tailgate Party to benefit local causes, donations to Spirit of Oakdale, Community Sharing, the Lions Club Children's Christmas Shopping Tour and several contributions to Oakdale High School sports.